Black Copper Marans discussion thread

[pinkchick]

I think, what I understand you are describing is the beetle green sheen that can often look a bit, deep turquiosey/blue, is the green sheen that is being discussed. I see that on my birds too depending on the lighting. The sheens are a refraction of light on the feather, and how we see it, or at least that is my understanding of it from studying it. Hope others come by to give you their opinions as well. Have a great day!

 

[Sylvester017]

I think, what I understand you are describing is the beetle green sheen that can often look a bit, deep turquiosey/blue, is the green sheen that is being discussed. I see that on my birds too depending on the lighting. The sheens are a refraction of light on the feather, and how we see it, or at least that is my understanding of it from studying it. Hope others come by to give you their opinions as well. Have a great day!

I never suspected that there was a drawback in the refractions that came from black feathers. I always felt the purples/blues as well as the greens glinting/refracting off of black feathers was gorgeous in ANY black chicken breed!

 

[pinkchick]

I never suspected that there was a drawback in the refractions that came from black feathers.  I always felt the purples/blues as well as the greens glinting/refracting off of black feathers was gorgeous in ANY black chicken breed!

I don't think of it as a drawback, but rather, as a way to determine a desirable quality to an undesirable quality. Purple means something that I am sorry to say I cannot remember, the green means a quality I cannot remember either, which is why I asked for clarification. I have been out of breeding for a couple years, and had my head stuck in my studies for my Masters in foreign language instead, so I am a bit rusty in my recollections of breeding does and dont's.

 

[pinkchick]

Slyvester~ it is gorgeous! No matter the breed, I agree, but in Marans, only certain sheen colors are desirable. Hope Don comes by to explain the difference for us. He is a goldmine of knowledge for chickens, and for Marans.

 

[pinkchick]

In regards to Magdelane's post and in response to One Chick Two, I do not intend this post as argumentative in any way, please let me say that first and foremost. However, I do not see anything of a sprig on this pullet, even with zooming in.The only thing I see about this pullet that I would not breed for is her clean legs, but that too is something I have worked with in the past that would not necessarily stop me from breeding this pullet. Please help me see what you see, thank you. Kim

 

[snowbird]

Kim, I have not explained the Purple sheen and Green Sheen as I will go to the warehouse tomorrow and pick up a couple of box of Poultry Books. I will state that I now of no Breed of Poultry where they want the Purple Sheen. Purple sheen says that the Black Blood is Tainted. The Green is the only Sheen we want in breed of Blacks that I know of at all. Don

 

[pinkchick]

Pullet 2X

I think I see a tiny bump near one of the head feathers in front of comb in the closeup shot. Keep an eye on that so that it doesn't become a side sprig. 

Kim, I have not explained the Purple sheen and Green Sheen as I will go to the warehouse tomorrow and pick up a couple of box of Poultry Books. I will state that I now of no Breed of Poultry where they want the Purple Sheen. Purple sheen says that the Black Blood is Tainted. The Green is the only Sheen we want in breed of Blacks that I know of at all. Don

YOU ROCK!!!!!

 

[saltandpepper2]

Kim, I have not explained the Purple sheen and Green Sheen as I will go to the warehouse tomorrow and pick up a couple of box of Poultry Books. I will state that I now of no Breed of Poultry where they want the Purple Sheen. Purple sheen says that the Black Blood is Tainted. The Green is the only Sheen we want in breed of Blacks that I know of at all. Don

That's really interesting! Never would have thought that the sheen color could show proof of tainting in the blood line. However, would that explain why my olive eggers have so much purple sheen?

I think, what I understand you are describing is the beetle green sheen that can often look a bit, deep turquiosey/blue, is the green sheen that is being discussed. I see that on my birds too depending on the lighting. The sheens are a refraction of light on the feather, and how we see it, or at least that is my understanding of it from studying it. Hope others come by to give you their opinions as well. Have a great day!

Thank you for clarifying. I couldn't get a picture tonight, but will get some tomorrow just so that awesome people like you can critique their quality.

 

[magdelaine]

In regards to Magdelane's post and in response to One Chick Two, I do not intend this post as argumentative in any way, please let me say that first and foremost. However, I do not see anything of a sprig on this pullet, even with zooming in.The only thing I see about this pullet that I would not breed for is her clean legs, but that too is something I have worked with in the past that would not necessarily stop me from breeding this pullet. Please help me see what you see, thank you. Kim

I think it was a visual element on the photograph rather than an actual sprig. As she's very proper and well colored in spite of being lightly feathered I will definitely use her with my Blue Copper (she comes from BBS breeding) as my other mature pullets ate wheaten splits. Gotta start somewhere!

 

[sideWing]

Can a Marans cockerels tail start out normal looking and turn into a pinched tail?

My Marans cockerel has just started breeding the ladies this last week and I'm noticing his tail has changed a lot. This is my first BCM so I don't know if this is normal. I have looked at it carefully in the past and thought that it was a good shape and coming along nicely.

Can they just develop a pinched tail as they grow up? I assumed it would spread as his body got wider, not narrow.

Or, could it be that the muscles in the groin area change when they start breeding and pull the tail in a little tighter?